Our History

Pierre's opened its doors in 1956, becoming instantly famous for housing one of the very first Italian espresso machines to come to Australia. Our famous restaurant has become iconic as Tasmania's Oldest Brasserie Cafe (Australia's second oldest). For more than half a century, Pierre's continued to be the popular place downtown where people would meet, dine, socialise and relax. The original owners, Pierre and Helen Lecompte, operated the business for more 30 years to create a unique fine dining experience. After many years of hard work and a commitment to success, the business changed ownership.

In 2007, the Birchmore Family bought the business and purchased the freehold from the Lecomptes. During 2008, the new owners gave Pierre’s a total rebuild to give it a more modern feel while carrying on its tradition for delectable meals. The building was Heritage Listed but in need of a major overhaul. The transformation was complex, required careful planning and was a large investment. The year-long rebuild involved the employment of local trade, and the refit used local product wherever possible. Once completed, Pierre's was able to re-open its doors in January of 2009.

Today, Launceston born Rohan Birchmore and his wife Sarah now own Pierre's with their dedicated team of front-of-house and kitchen staff. Since re-opening, the building has received two awards. The first was a Heritage Award from the Launceston City Council, and the second went to local architect Birrelli, who won a major Australian Architecture Design Award outlining their contribution to the Pierre's building project.